building fell down around him. I got a series of nasty phone calls from my boss, and then orders to pack up my robot and come here where I know no one, know nothing about what I’m supposed to be doing to help, and where the risk to my long-term health is as great or greater than that bitch of a storm. I’m entitled to feel a little rough around the edges.”
“You waited out the storm at home?”
Derek shrugged. “Do you know how many times I’ve seen people evacuate because this was ‘the big one’?” Sambit shook his head. “I don’t either. I’ve lost count, it’s happened so often. The storms fizzle out or they change direction or they don’t do the damage everyone says they will, so I shrugged and figured this one would be the same as all the rest.”
“Only it wasn’t.”
“No, it certainly wasn’t,” Derek agreed, “but by the time I realized it wasn’t, it was too late to try to get out. My house is on a bit of a rise so it didn’t flood, and I have storm shutters so it was safe from flying debris, but on my motorcycle, I’d have been toast.”
“You were lucky.”
“I was beyond lucky, and I know it, but it’s left me a little shaken.”
Sambit nodded. “If you won’t be offended by the suggestion, I know something that might help.”
“I already tried tequila,” Derek joked. “It didn’t work.”
Sambit smiled. “No, not alcohol. Yoga.”
“Yoga?” Derek repeated. “How is that supposed to help?”
“Stand up and take off your socks and I’ll show you,” Sambit offered.
Derek was skeptical, but he didn’t have anything better to do with his time. Fido stood up as soon as he did, but Derek patted the dog’s head and told him to go lie down. He curled up under Derek’s cot, eyes fixed on Derek as he pulled off his socks.
“Okay, convince me.”
Sambit stood up straight, feet together, palms against each other in front of his chest, and took a deep breath. Derek mimicked the pose awkwardly.
“Just relax and breathe for a moment,” Sambit said, his eyes closing. Derek tried to relax and breathe, but the sounds of people moving around in the hallway distracted him.
“Don’t pay attention to them,” Sambit said without opening his eyes. “Concentrate inward. All that matters is your breath.”
“How did you know I was paying attention to them?” Derek asked. “You didn’t even look at me.”
“I can hear your breathing,” Sambit said, “and it isn’t calm and even yet, which means you’re thinking about something other than that. You can close the door if it will help.”
Derek closed the door, suddenly aware of Sambit’s proximity as he returned to his spot. He told himself to stop being ridiculous. He didn’t know if Sambit was gay, and even if he was, the professor was so not Derek’s type. Except that he had a sharp wit to go with his education, a toned body to go with his conservative clothes, and patience with Derek’s foibles. It was a deadly combination. Then Sambit arched his back, lifting his hands at the same time before exhaling audibly and bending forward to touch his toes. Derek swore Sambit’s body simply folded in half at his hips.
Fuck.
He had to find out if Sambit was gay without giving away his interest.
“So what do I do now?” He needed Sambit to stand back up or he wouldn’t be responsible for his actions.
Sambit stood up and returned to the same position as before. “Start at the beginning. It’s the end of the day, not the beginning, but the Salute to the Sun is still a good way to relax and invigorate your body and mind.”
“Is that what you were doing?”
“That was the first part of it, yes,” Sambit said. “Take a deep breath, lift your hands, and lean back as far as you can without losing your balance.”
Derek did as Sambit said, feeling the stretch along his abdomen as he arched his back. He couldn’t go back nearly as far as Sambit did, but he had already realized this was one field on which
“You waited out the storm at home?”
Derek shrugged. “Do you know how many times I’ve seen people evacuate because this was ‘the big one’?” Sambit shook his head. “I don’t either. I’ve lost count, it’s happened so often. The storms fizzle out or they change direction or they don’t do the damage everyone says they will, so I shrugged and figured this one would be the same as all the rest.”
“Only it wasn’t.”
“No, it certainly wasn’t,” Derek agreed, “but by the time I realized it wasn’t, it was too late to try to get out. My house is on a bit of a rise so it didn’t flood, and I have storm shutters so it was safe from flying debris, but on my motorcycle, I’d have been toast.”
“You were lucky.”
“I was beyond lucky, and I know it, but it’s left me a little shaken.”
Sambit nodded. “If you won’t be offended by the suggestion, I know something that might help.”
“I already tried tequila,” Derek joked. “It didn’t work.”
Sambit smiled. “No, not alcohol. Yoga.”
“Yoga?” Derek repeated. “How is that supposed to help?”
“Stand up and take off your socks and I’ll show you,” Sambit offered.
Derek was skeptical, but he didn’t have anything better to do with his time. Fido stood up as soon as he did, but Derek patted the dog’s head and told him to go lie down. He curled up under Derek’s cot, eyes fixed on Derek as he pulled off his socks.
“Okay, convince me.”
Sambit stood up straight, feet together, palms against each other in front of his chest, and took a deep breath. Derek mimicked the pose awkwardly.
“Just relax and breathe for a moment,” Sambit said, his eyes closing. Derek tried to relax and breathe, but the sounds of people moving around in the hallway distracted him.
“Don’t pay attention to them,” Sambit said without opening his eyes. “Concentrate inward. All that matters is your breath.”
“How did you know I was paying attention to them?” Derek asked. “You didn’t even look at me.”
“I can hear your breathing,” Sambit said, “and it isn’t calm and even yet, which means you’re thinking about something other than that. You can close the door if it will help.”
Derek closed the door, suddenly aware of Sambit’s proximity as he returned to his spot. He told himself to stop being ridiculous. He didn’t know if Sambit was gay, and even if he was, the professor was so not Derek’s type. Except that he had a sharp wit to go with his education, a toned body to go with his conservative clothes, and patience with Derek’s foibles. It was a deadly combination. Then Sambit arched his back, lifting his hands at the same time before exhaling audibly and bending forward to touch his toes. Derek swore Sambit’s body simply folded in half at his hips.
Fuck.
He had to find out if Sambit was gay without giving away his interest.
“So what do I do now?” He needed Sambit to stand back up or he wouldn’t be responsible for his actions.
Sambit stood up and returned to the same position as before. “Start at the beginning. It’s the end of the day, not the beginning, but the Salute to the Sun is still a good way to relax and invigorate your body and mind.”
“Is that what you were doing?”
“That was the first part of it, yes,” Sambit said. “Take a deep breath, lift your hands, and lean back as far as you can without losing your balance.”
Derek did as Sambit said, feeling the stretch along his abdomen as he arched his back. He couldn’t go back nearly as far as Sambit did, but he had already realized this was one field on which
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